Bristol Royal Infirmary exposed for culling pigeons

Traps have been seen by a number of people on rooftops on levels 4 and 5 of the Old Building by staff and visitors. Several people have seen gulls attacking the cages and a member of staff has reportedly seen a gull attempt to drag a pigeon through the mesh. Apparently, Rentokil are visiting twice a day to remove the pigeons and wring their necks (this is probably done early morning and night when less people are about).  This means that the traps are left unattended for large amounts of the day and night. Since the traps were noticed by members of the public visiting sick relatives, they have been moved out of sight. This removes a very contentious issue from the public eye but now, nobody with compassion for living creatures can monitor what is going on at all and members of staff say they are very uncomfortable with this. We are sure you will agree that this treatment of any living creature is outrageously cruel and must be stopped. There is further concern that this indiscriminate trapping of birds does not account for parent birds which could mean that nesting young are in danger of being left to starve.

Please write to the RSPCA and the RSPB. Here is a draft letter to the RSPCA. Here is a draft letter to the RSPB. If you have any difficulty opening these letters, please contact us.

Here is the appeal from South West Animal Protection (SWAP) with some more information on how to act on this. Please forward on far and wide!

HOW DISGUSTING AND CRUEL IS THIS?
Hospitals are meant to be a place of kindness and compassion but this takes the biscuit!
Urgent action needed-Bristol Royal Infirmary hospital trap and kill Pigeons(UK). All traps must be removed immediately to prevent further suffering. Gulls are allegedly trying to drag the Pigeons out of the traps and the Pigeons are wilting in the hot sun. Something has to be done asap to stop this cruelty. Non lethal methods to control Pigeons are needed now to stop this brutality.
UK and worldwide response needed asap
SWAP team UK have recently been alerted to the trapping and killing of Pigeons at Bristol Royal Infirmary hospital. We have written to the Patient Support and Complaints department at the hospital and we have now been informed that they are investigating this.
We are naturally appalled at any company killing Pigeons for whatever reason however a hospital that saves human lives but is killing Pigeons is an absolute outrage! 
Please see the press release below from Bristol Animal Rights Collective, we understand someone from the group who is very concerend about this has already been interviewed on local radio, listen here-http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00j69hm/Ben_Prater_04_08_2011/ - please scroll forward to 1 hour 16 mins, 43 seconds.
Please also see this recent BBC article- http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/uk-england-bristol-14401376
The article above mentions other hospitals within the hospital trust therefore are other Pigeons being trapped elsewhere? If so we want all traps removed throughout their hospitals! Quote from article-A spokeswoman from University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust said: "We work closely with, and have taken advice from, our external pest control provider to ensure that the measures we undertake across all of our city centre hospitals are appropriate. End of quote
Please see below ways in which you can help stop this cruelty. It is imperative that all phone calls/letters/emails are kept polite. Thank you.
Firstly please send a letter and/or telephone the Patient Support and Complaints department urging them to remove all traps immediately and get the building fully proofed to deter Pigeons. Please see below for details.
Please give all the contacts below 'PiCAS' (Pigeon Control Advisory Services) contact details as they give advice on humane ways of dealing with Pigeon problems. Please urge the authorities to contact them immediately. Please copy and paste these details for PiCAS if you are sending emails alternatively please give them over the phone-
PICAS tel- 0844 7366272 mobile- 07903 011715 email-enquiries@picasuk.com  website-http://www.picasuk.com/
YOUR POLITE COMPLAINTS GO TO-

Deputy Manager-Patient Support & Complaints
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Trust Headquarters
Marlborough Street
Bristol
UK
BS1 3NU
Tel: 0117 34 23641

Please also phone the main hospital on 0117 9230000 with your polite complaint asking to speak to Dena Ponsford (general manager of facilities) and Bob Pepper (director of facilities and estates). You can also email them - dena.ponsford@uhbristol.nhs.uk and  bob.pepper@uhbristol.nhs.uk

Please phone and/or email Mr Colin Waldron of Hotel services who has authorised the trapping and killing of Pigeons-
0117 3422270 email- colin.waldron@uhbristol.nhs.uk please note if Mr Waldron is not available on the phone please leave a POLITE message for him telling him how you feel about this and asking him to remove the traps immediately to prevent further unnecessary suffering and to get the building Pigeon proofed asking him to contact PiCAS for humane advice asap.

Contact the Avon and Somerset Police using their online contact form and ask them to forward your complaint to the Wildlife liason officer to investigate-https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/contact/crime_reporting/ReportCrime.aspx

Contact the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) here using their online contact form to report this and ask them to do something immediately-http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/policy/wildbirdslaw/reportform.aspx

Contact the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to complain asking them to also do something about this- Enqserv@rspca.org.uk

Contact the BRI hospital using their feedback form where you can tell them what you think about their trapping and killing Pigeons asking them to stop this immediately
http://www.uhbristol.nhs.uk/contact-us/give-feedback/

EVERY LETTER/CALL COUNTS TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIGEONS

Please see the press release below from Bristol Animal Rights.

Many thanks for your support
SWAP team UK